How an NFL Star's Retirement Led to a Multi-Million Dollar Pokemon TCG Empire

After retiring from the NFL, former linebacker Blake Martinez has found a lucrative career in dealing Pokemon TCG cards. With a successful stint in professional football, earning millions of dollars playing for multiple teams, Martinez's career was abruptly cut short when he suffered an ACL tear in 2021. Although he briefly joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, Martinez made the decision to retire in November of that year. Surprisingly, instead of taking it easy during his retirement, Martinez has chosen to pursue his other passion, Pokemon TCG, and turn it into a potentially more successful second career.

Martinez, who is now retired, has ventured into the world of Pokemon TCG card trading, establishing his own enterprise called Blake's Breaks. His company specializes in dealing unique items such as scarce Charizard cards and even live-streaming pack unveilings. Despite being relatively new, celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, Blake's Breaks has already generated millions in revenue. In just the first eight months, Blake reportedly earned an astounding $6.5 million.

Blake credits a portion of his success to the leadership abilities he honed while playing football. The Covid-19 pandemic, which initially led him to engage in part-time Pokemon card trading, along with an injury that ultimately terminated his football career, also played a role in the growth of his business. Describing it as his "turning point," the injury and subsequent recovery provided him with the opportunity to further develop his card business, ultimately leading to his decision to pursue it as a full-time endeavor. Selling a rare Pokemon card marked the final step in his retirement from football and his transition into the realm of rare card dealing.

Blake's ability to transform a devastating injury into a potentially more successful career is truly inspiring. It also highlights the profitable opportunities in the trading card industry. The recent search for the elusive One Ring in the latest Magic the Gathering expansion demonstrates the willingness of some individuals to invest substantial amounts of time and money to acquire the rarest and most desirable cards.

However, it is important to recognize that not everyone should rely on trading cards as a means of early retirement. It is a challenging business that demands significant initial investment, extensive knowledge of the cards, and a fair amount of luck. The recent auction where an exceedingly rare Pokemon card received no bids serves as a reminder that dealers can sometimes face unfortunate circumstances. Nevertheless, fans of Pokemon TCG and aspiring collectors can certainly celebrate Martinez's success and admire his strong work ethic.

Source: The Athletic (via Dexerto)